AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

We've incorporated grids into the FAAB articles, so users can easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The grids, which are sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook. Gunnar Henderson would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly high-impact prospects that could thrive in an everyday role.

As always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments.

Starting Pitcher

Jack Kochanowicz, Angels: The 23-year-old offers no upside in strikeouts, but if that's not a category you care about right now, he might be the best AL pitching option who's widely available. Kochanowicz has a 3.05 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in seven starts since joining the big-league rotation in mid-August with six quality starts, and he gets just about the best possible two-step over the final week (considering he can't face his own offense) – at the White Sox, then at home against a shorthanded Rangers squad that checked out a while ago. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Reese Olson, Tigers: Olson officially came off the IL last week, so I'm listing him again, but he probably isn't stretched out enough to take advantage of a final home start against the Rays. If you pick him up now, you're just hoping for solid ratios over 3-4 innings. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Jose Suarez, Angels: A true hail mary (hey, it's football season, I'll mix my sports metaphors if I want to), Suarez's track record is bad but he hasn't given up an earned run in three appearances in September, two of them starts, and his 0.92 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB in 12 innings are pretty sweet. The southpaw also gets a road start against the ChiSox to close things out. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Other two-start options, Mon-Sun (12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $1)

Brady Basso, Athletics (vs. TEX, at SEA)
Jonathan Cannon, White Sox (vs. LAA, at DET)

Relief Pitcher

Hunter Bigge, Rays: Five different pitchers have gotten Tampa's last five saves, so there's no true closer here, but Bigge got his first career save Friday and is a pitcher Kevin Cash could decide he wants to take a closer look at in high-leverage spots over the final week. The right-hander came over from the Cubs in the Isaac Paredes trade and features a classic reliever arsenal with a high-90s fastball and sharp slider, and he could be a big part of the Rays' 2025 bullpen picture. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Fraser Ellard, White Sox: Ellard got a save last Sunday, the first White Sox pitcher to record one since, I dunno, the Obama administration or thereabouts. It feels like it's been that long, anyway. (OK, the actual answer is Aug. 16, with Chad Kuhl doing the honors.) The lefty features a good four seamer-slider combo while also mixing in a cutter and sinker, and while his arsenal is probably better suited for a set-up role in the long run, Chicago doesn't have anybody better at the back of the bullpen right now. A final week schedule that brings the Angels to town before three games in Detroit against a Tigers team that may or may not still have something to play for actually gives the White Sox a chance at a couple wins, too, so they may even have late leads to protect. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Griffin Jax, Twins: Jax has Minnesota's last two saves, and with the Twins clinging to the final wild-card spot in the AL, using Jhoan Duran in a fireman role seems to be Plan A for the bullpen right now. The team gets a series against the Marlins too, so there should be saves available. If it's a tight category for you, Jax might be your best option to steal a point or two. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Daniel Lynch, Royals: The southpaw won't get you saves, but if you're just looking for strong ratios and Ks with some chance at a win, Lynch would be a strong addition. Since getting called up in late August, he's got a mere 0.00 ERA in 16 innings over nine appearances, along with a 0.50 WHIP and a 19:3 K:BB, plus a win and a three-inning save. If the Royals are in position to set a postseason rotation and want to hold Cole Ragans (and maybe even Seth Lugo) for the playoffs, Lynch would be a prime candidate to fill in as a starter or bulk reliever. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4 

First Base

Yuli Gurriel, Royals: Kansas City faces four left-handed starters over the final week (including Patrick Corbin!), and Gurriel is the righty hitter on the roster most likely to be both available and useful. The 40-year-old has started seven of the last eight games and gone 8-for-21 (.381) with three RBI and five runs. He offers no power or speed, but if you need to try and eke out another point in BA or OBP, he could help. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Kyle Manzardo, Guardians: On the other side of the platoon equation, the Guardians face nothing but right-handed starters the rest of the way. Even though they only play five games as opposed to six, that still sets Manzardo up for a potentially big kick to the finish line. All four of his homers have come against RHP, and he's slashing .319/.385/.617 in September. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Rostered

Eric Wagaman, Angels: The unheralded 27-year-old has been giving the Halos solid production from the hot corner since his promotion a couple weeks ago. Wagaman has three multi-hit performances in his last eight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) over that stretch with four doubles, two homers, five runs and seven RBI. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Second Base

Lenyn Sosa, White Sox: Sosa just keeps on raking. The 24-year-old boasts a .383/.397/.517 slash line through 16 games in September with two homers, seven RBI and seven runs. He's got little left to prove at Triple-A, and this big finish to the season might be putting him in position for a starting job to begin 2025. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Third Base

Bryan Ramos, White Sox: It's not really clear yet how the White Sox plan to divvy up playing time at third base between Ramos, Moncada and Miguel Vargas, but Ramos at least has two homers in his last 10 games. The club also probably doesn't need to see anything more from Moncada. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Yoan Moncada, White Sox: Moncada finally came off the IL on Monday and has gotten one plate appearance since. I guess as a $1 stash in AL-only formats he might be worth considering, but the 29-year-old seems pretty close to done. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Shortstop

Ezequiel Duran, Rangers: Duran looks like the Rangers' top choice to fill in at third base while Josh Jung's wrist is bothering him again. The 25-year-old utility player has five hits in the last two games and a .292/.33/.458 slash line in September with five doubles, a homer, six runs and six RBI over 14 games. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Vaughn Grissom, Red Sox: So, the Chris Sale is looking pretty bad for Boston right about now, but Grissom still has time to balance the scales. The 23-year-old has had a tough year, but he was slashing .340/.508/.553 at Triple-A in September with three homers and two steals – and, perhaps most importantly, a ridiculous 16:8 BB:K – before getting called up to take Rafael Devers' spot on the roster. The Red Sox should give him regular playing time, but they might think it's more important to keep Trevor Story happy for some reason. Grissom's still an intriguing keeper stash. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Angel Martinez, Guardians: Martinez, and not Myles Straw, has been the replacement for Steven Kwan in left field and as the leadoff hitter, and he's responded by batting .281 (9-for-32) in eight games since his return to the Guardians with a steal, an RBI and three runs. Martinez is most likely to move the needle in the latter category. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Jonathan Ornelas, Rangers: When Duran is needed elsewhere on the diamond, Ornelas is likely to step in at third base for Texas. The 24-year-old has a bit of power and speed, but he's just a dart throw. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Nick Sogard, Red Sox: Sogard and Romy Gonzalez seem likely to platoon at third base in place of Devers, but the BoSox's closing schedule would heavily favor Sogard in that scenario. The 27-year-old has a strong campaign at Triple-A with an ,836 OPS, 13 homers and 10 steals in 96 games, and he's 3-for-3 in steal attempts in the majors. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Outfield

Gustavo Campero, Angels: A 27-year-old switch hitter, Campero has been getting regular playing time in the Angels' injury-ravaged outfield since his promotion and gone 7-for-24 (.292) with a steal, three runs and three RBI. His breakout started last year as an overage player at High-A, but he maintained good numbers this season at Double-A Rocket City before a late-season bump to Triple-A and then his big-league debut. It's been a long road for the 5-6 Campero – he's a converted catcher who was a minor-league Rule 5 pick from the Yankees' organization back in 2020, but the Halos' patience with him may have paid off. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Jason Heyward, Astros: Houston gets a righty-heavy closing schedule too – Matthew Boyd is the only LHP they're set to face – so Heyward could, uhh, make hay. (That would have worked a lot better if he spelled his name the other way.) The veteran outfielder is batting .333 (7-for-21) in his strong-side platoon role over the Astros' last 10 games with two homers, three runs, four RBI and even a steal. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5